UK postage for resellers: sizes, services and packing

Postage can make or break the profit on a small item. Get the size band right, choose a sensible service, and pack well enough that nothing comes back damaged.

Royal Mail size bands

Royal Mail prices depend on size as well as weight. At the time of writing, the main bands are:

Check Royal Mail's website for current sizes and prices before you list. A paperback or DVD in a slim mailer can often go as a Large Letter, which is much cheaper than a parcel, but measure the thickness: 2.5 cm is less than you think.

Choosing a service

• Tracked services protect you if a buyer says an item never arrived. Use them for anything valuable.
• Labels bought through eBay can be cheaper than counter prices and add tracking to the order automatically.
• Courier and locker services (drop-off shops and parcel lockers) are often good value for small parcels.

Packing

• Books: wrap in paper or a plastic sleeve against rain, then a padded mailer or a snug box. Protect corners on hardbacks.
• Discs and games: a padded envelope is usually fine; add card stiffeners for steelbooks and boxed games.
• Fragile items: double-box with padding on every side, and shake test before sealing: nothing should move.
• Trading cards: sleeve, top loader, between two pieces of card in a mailer.

Weigh and measure before you list

Pack the item first, then weigh and measure the parcel, not the item on its own. Packaging can push a parcel over a weight or size band, and an underpaid parcel can be delayed or charged to the buyer, which leads to bad feedback. Kitchen scales are fine to start with; a small parcel scale pays for itself quickly.

Combined postage

Buyers who buy several items from you will expect to pay less postage than buying them separately. Setting up combined postage discounts encourages bigger orders and saves you packing time.

Keep proof

Always get proof of postage and keep it until the buyer has left feedback or the return window has passed.